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Valkyra
“Basilea, although I have heard tales of other Sisters of
the Sword, you are the only other woman mercenary that I have
ever met," said Valkyra as she took a deep drink of her
ale. “I was beginning to think that I was the only one in this
part of the world.”
As Basilea hoisted her mug, she replied, “And you are the
only woman warrior that I have ever met. I am so glad that our
paths have crossed.”
The two female mercenaries had met by fate as they both came
across a small caravan of traders near the village of Esperia.
The traders were being robbed by a band of savage men. It was
ill fortune for the robbers when the two women fighters showed
up at the same time. The group of twenty outlaws felt as if they
had just encountered a small army. Valkyra and Basilea quickly
slew the bandits and helped the caravan to be on its way again.
“Now tell me all about these women that are called Amazons,”
said Valkyra. After the battle with the outlaws, Basilea and
Valkyra made a visit to the village tavern to refresh themselves
with ale.
Basilea explained, “I have never seen any of them myself,
but I understand that there are whole groups of women warriors
that live together in Tribes. And not only in Greece, but in
many areas of the known world.”
“I should like to find one of these Amazon Tribes. Since I
am in Greece at this time, I shall search for one here,” said
Valkyra.
And so, Valkyra bid Basilea a good journey and set out on her
quest to find the Amazons. After nearing the Thermodon River,
Valkyra met several people who told of seeing several groups of
women fighters traveling together along the river.
The Russian woman rode up along side of the Thermodon until
she saw signs of village life. There were women on watch and
there were women who guarded this village. All carried weapons.
She rode slowly so as not to alarm these fighters. She was soon
confronted by the guards. When one of them asked of her, she
answered, “I am Valkyra from the Kingdom of Rostov in the
Caucasus Mountains and I would have words with your leader.”
The gates opened and a Queen by the name of Celosia walked
out and greeted the Russian warrior. Valkyra, Warrior Woman of
the Caucasus Mountains would soon discover that she had reached
Themiscyra, Amazon Nation.
Samsara
"You wanted to see me, Ser-Elder Serena?" she asked
as she walked into the hut. It stood high above ground and it
viewed the entire village but was safely guarded by two
watchtowers not far apart. The room itself was awash in light
that day. She held her heavily adorned staff in her right hand.
It was a key defense weapon and she learned from her Guardian to
use it well. The wolf at the tip of the staff was lethal, its
points laced in venom. The shaft itself served as a whip and
cane with its beads and rubber grips. The girl had fashioned it
herself.
Chief Elder Serena sat on her throne, idly palming the ruby
atop her scepter. She was flanked on either side by Hippoppih
and Dera, two of her Imperial Guards. Also in the room were the
four other Elders who made up the Council. Solari and Ephiny II
were also there. Ephiny had temporarily stepped down from rule
over tensions with the Centaurs. The girl eyed each of them
carefully, for today was an important day.
"I'm sure you've packed well?" said Ephiny.
The younger barely opened her mouth to answer. "We've
made a decision on where you shall go for training," Serena
interjected. "Know that our decision is final."
"I understand."
"It is the decision of this Pentad that you, the High
Princess of Teloans, be escorted out of the Telokai to
Themiscyra for the purpose of studying under their ruler, Queen
Celosia. This is to last for a term of five years whereupon the
High Princess shall return to fully ascend to the Throne and
receive the responsibilities of such."
The younger's eyes widened. "E-Excuse me, Elder, but you
did say 'Thermodon' and 'Marcella,' correct?"
"Alas your hearing needs examination, or perhaps you are
more hardheaded than I thought. I said 'Themiscyra' and
'Celosia.' I'll need someone to fix you if this Tribe is going
to survive! Now, out with you. You are due there in three days'
time!"
"Then please excuse me." She bowed out of the hut
and down the stairs.
"Chief Elder," Solari said, "do you believe
this will straighten her out?"
"If she has a belief that this training clause exists,
then yes. She has no idea she'll be back to do the Shamaness
routine, too." Serena smirked, confident she had tricked
the young one into the straight and narrow. She depended on
Celosia to whip her into shape. Then at least, when she would
find out about the ploy, she would simply smile and laugh and go
about her business of becoming the Queen of Amazons, or so the
plan was. "Hey, do tell her not to take her Guardian's
potions? She hasn't a clue how to use them and I wouldn't want
the Themiscyrans to think us haughty!"
"Her escorts know."
The young one, meanwhile, shook her head once she hit terra
firma. You old crone, she thought. You really think
you tricked me, huh? Ah well. I'll leave you with that pleasant
thought. She headed to her hut to pack some last minute
items. At her door stood Shaeylan and Hippe, Hippoppih's twin
sister, waiting.
"Are you almost ready, High Princess?" Shaeylan
queried, opening the door.
"Yeah. Just need to take a few more things to my
horse." She opened a knapsack and the hidden door in the
ground. Inside the underground chest were elixirs and potions
her Guardian used in her craft. The young one pulled up a metal
wiring which held these vials upright.
"We've been told," Hippe interjected, "to keep
you from taking those potions to Themiscyra."
The young one rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine." She
placed the wiring on a snow tiger pelt and went to pack other
small items. She then pulled the pelt up by its four corners and
tossed it over her back. "Let's go," she said, as
Shaeylan took the knapsack into her hand.
Two and one half days passed when the three women were
greeted by arrows aimed just before them. They stopped and
waited as two of the guards demanded to know who they were.
Shaeylan handed one the parchment. "Latra Celosia,"
she uttered. Indeed some words of the Teloan and the Themiscyran
dialect were similar. For the most part, however, Samsara would
have a time attempting to learn them.
The guards let them pass. There was much anticipation for
this visitor, this person to train under the Queen's command.
The Queen anticipated it as did her Regent, her sister Medea.
"So what's with this?" she demanded of her sister.
"You won't train me to become Queen but you'll train this
upstart?"
"You haven't a clue about her, sis," Celosia
responded. "Now, leave it be and coexist. The Great Spirit
tells me there might be some potential here." Actually, the
truth was that Celosia was honored and scared to have this
responsibility now. Word had spread throughout the Amazon Tribes
that the youngest Queen was perhaps one of the best to have
existed. She cleared her throat and walked out of her hut toward
the commotion. As she approached the Teloans, the three
dismounted from their horses.
Hippe moved her cloak about to hand a note to Celosia.
"Latra," she said, fist to heart. She leaned forward
in respect. Shaeylan and the High Princess did the same. Both
wore beautiful cloaks upon order of Serena. Good impressions
were always welcome.
Medea eyed the newcomer with slight suspicion.
"So you are High Princess Samsara," Celosia finally
said after reading the note. "Your knowledge of our dialect
is rudimentary, but our dialect is easy to learn. You do realize
that you will start from the bottom here?"
Samsara nodded, looking at Medea. There was a connection of
some sort there. She didn't know what yet, but she would soon
find out.
"There..." Celosia continued, "...is an open
spot on tonight's watch patrol. Medea, you'll accompany the
group. It is a pleasure to have you here, Samsara of the
Teloans."
Cassia
"I'll be back, Papa!" she called, waving to him.
She turned to go through the tall grass, forcing the image of
his sorrow-soaked face from her mind.
Night was falling. Calandra's labor had been long, difficult,
and in the end, fatal. The girl-child had lived, but had not
been given a name, yet. She supposed she would go over in the
morning and see how father and daughter were doing.
Just a little farther, out of sight from the village she saw
a basket. Her heart grew cold. Women of the night often had
babes they couldn't keep. If this was one of them, she knew
there had to be a woman nearby. Still, the woman, if she was
around, probably wouldn't take it back even if Cassia found her.
She should probably take it back into the village with her, give
it to Iona's mother. She had many children already, and would
probably accept one more.
She edged closer to the basket. And gaped in shock, parting
the grass in front of her. It was the girl-child. How did she
get out here? She ignored the further chills as she knelt down,
she paused to think.
There would be no woman of the night, so she didn't have to
worry about that. And she wouldn't have to bother Iona's mother
with another child, because she knew the parent that still
lived. The problem was, now, why was the child here, and not
with her father?
Realistically, there was only one reason. Doron had left her
exposed. Whether it was because it pained him to look at her, or
because he didn't want a daughter was irrelevant. The point was,
she was here, and her father obviously didn't want her.
What should she do? Should she confront Doron? What would he
do? He would probably turn it around, make it so that she were
laughed at for her 'foolishness'. Then he would probably get rid
of the child again, saying she had died. She couldn't risk
something like that, not with someone of her blood.
And what were the chances her father would believe her? She
wasn't sure, and that was what bothered her. And she didn't want
to break his heart again, if Doron did do as she thought he
would. No, she couldn't do that. It had happened before, with
another young man in the village. Cassia had been the only one
to believe his wife, who cried on her shoulder for hours. It
wasn't a risk she was going to take.
So, what could she do? She couldn't let the child die. But
she also couldn't take her back to the village. So what could
she do? Nothing, really, except . . . Could she . . . ? Could
she really do what she was thinking of doing?
Could she leave, and take the child away from all that would
harm her? COULD she leave the only home she'd ever known?
*****
Her russet-colored hair tied back, Cassia again attempted to
fix her boot, something she'd been trying to do for the past two
days. But she kept getting interrupted.
The interruption was on the bed, supported by pelts on either
side that Cassia had bought at market a few days earlier. It had
been somewhat difficult to barter, what with having to divide
her attention between Naiya and the deal. She'd managed to get a
fair deal, but it, along with her stay at this inn, came close
to emptying her purse.
She needed her boots fixed. The soft shoes she had on weren't
going to cut it. She'd been on the road for two months, and it
didn't seem to be getting any easier. But if she fixed her
boots, then it would be one less thing to worry about.
She'd given the child the name her mother had picked out, in
the instance of the child being a girl. Doron, it seemed, hadn't
thought a lot about that. Just of boys' names, like Alexandros
or Baruch.
Just then a cry issued itself from the bed, and she clamped
down on the urge to scream. The babe had been up all night
crying and she, as her aunt, had just managed to get her to
sleep. She was discovering quickly that her late sister's babe
was as restless as the day was long.
She set aside the boot, then went over to the bed and lifted
the newborn from the pelts. "Shh, Naiya, shh. Yes,"
the babe started to quiet, "Yes, shh. I have you, I have
you." She held the small one close, praying that she would
quiet down so that they could move on. The infant obeyed her
mental pleas, becoming silent. Cassia didn't dare set her down
for fear of upsetting her. Instead, she swung her satchel onto
her back, scooped up the pelts, and her boots/boot repair
supplies, then made her way to the door. The sooner they got out
of here, the better.
She hurried down the stairs, talking quietly all the while.
"I will send the dogs of Tartarus after your father for
abandoning you . . . " She also added a few of her more
colorful phrases as she searched for the innkeeper. She wasn't
properly watching where she was going, so she walked right into
a man coming her direction. "Oof!"
The man gave a surprised noise and jumped backwards.
"Sorry, ma'am. My fault."
Everything in one arm had scattered across the floor, the
other arm full of babe. The strap to her satchel had sagged down
her shoulder. And, after his apology, Naiya started to cry.
Cassia began to jiggle her as she responded. "You are all
right. I had too much in my arms. And I was not watching my
path." She bent to gather her things.
He appeared to want to flee the scene, but common decency
made him stay and help her pick up her things. Soon they were in
a pile, and the babe was again quiet. She shifted her once,
shifted her twice, then looked up at the man. "Would you
mind terribly taking her for a moment?"
"Uh . . ." He obviously minded a great deal, but
before he had time to make a reasonable protest he found the
child in his arms.
"Thanks." She began to fold up the pelts and place
them into her satchel. Without realizing it, she began to
ramble. "It's just been a bad week, y'know? Naiya won't
sleep, her father's being a Bacchee, and her mother," she
reached up a hand to wipe away a tear, "has the audacity to
be dead." She giggled in a self-depreciating manner.
"And here I am, talking your ear off as if you'd
care." Shaking her head, she pulled the traveling bag over
her shoulder. "Now I need to start off so I can get to the
next village before sundown." She took the babe and turned
away for a moment, then turned back, looking sheepish. "I'm
sorry, but I don't think I ever got your name."
"No, you didn't, and we should probably keep it that
way." He straightened his vest carefully, assuring himself
that the baby wasn't an aspiring pickpocket. "But if you'd
take some advice from a nameless stranger, I think I might know
someone who can help you."
She fixed the wrappings of the infant, as if to stave off the
morning chill. She looked up at him curiously. Why would he not
tell her his name? It shouldn't matter, she thought to
herself, he's merely a man. "Who would this
be?"
"The Amazons of Themiscyra. Just go straight into the
woods and they're sure to find you. Heckuva lot closer than the
next normal village."
Her eyes widened. "Amazons?"
"Oh, don't worry," he said, urgently and
reassuringly. "They won't hurt you. Any stories you've
heard are probably lies."
She seemed to think on this. Then she remembered her
painfully light purse. She could not survive much longer on what
she'd managed to make from selling a few choice possessions. She
looked into his eyes hopefully. "And they will help
me?"
"Sure. Just look at you; you could pass for one of them
easily. The Amazons protect their own. Go see them. And when you
do, I wonder if you might do me a favor." He undid the
clasp of his cloak and quickly folded the garment so the
embroidered crest was visible, then pulled a horn-handled
hunting knife from his belt and laid it on top. "I borrowed
these from a Themiscyran friend of mine. Can you see that they
get back to her? Her name's Seriana."
She took them, nodding. "I will." She gave him a
smile. "You are very kind. I wish you happy travels."
She turned and walked to the door.
"Good luck!" He gave her a two-fingered salute and
headed out the back way. En route, he picked up a tip that
someone had left on the bar and stuffed the coins into his belt
pouch.
She walked on, coming to the edge of the woods. She paused
for a moment. What was she doing? Going on the word of a
stranger? She looked at what he had given her to pass on. The
dagger was simple and right to the point. It was clear what it
was used for. Then there was the embroidery. It was lovely, and
intricate, with how it was arranged.
She sighed, her exhaustion obvious. She was tired of
worrying. She was tired of looking over her shoulder. She was
tired of living in a man's world. Physically and
emotionally, she was tired. In fact, she was just plain tired.
The cloak, the dagger . . . they were Amazonian. Made by
women. She looked into the woods. It was time her life took a
new direction.
Cassia stepped into the woods, her old life rolling off her
back with each step.
*****
Going through the forest, she met up with an Amazon named
Zia, then, in quick succession, the Great Destroyer of Greece,
Samsara Kakistos, and an Amazon called Thalia, who could change
into animals.
Cassia was sure, as she went through the gate, that she would
never be the same again. And that that wasn't a bad thing at
all.
Seriana
Seriana, Olympian exile and former Princess of War, had just
come in from a long patrol ride. She was still wearing her mask,
as she did every time she left the village. It was a safety
precaution: a traitor to the Aresian house couldn't be too
careful.
She had been living for months like this -- in hiding. The
nervousness wore her out more than her work for the Amoura tribe
ever could.
She stabled Deinus and headed for her hut, finally taking off
the uncomfortable mask and stretching her neck as she headed for
her hut to rest. It was hard work, worrying, always on guard in
case she heard Ares' voice again . . .
Yes, that voice, that was the one. She heard it.
For a minute, it froze her with terror. Then she scrambled
into the shadows of twilight and got herself under control
enough to listen. He was inside the hut whose silhouette she was
cowering in, talking to someone in there. "If your loyalty
to your Queen means more to you than your loyalty to me, I'll
have to find a new warrior to bless."
"No!" cried a woman's voice, and Seri knew it
instantly -- Nansia, a member of the Queen's council. "I'll
do it tonight, Lord. She'll be yours in the morning."
"You'd better. I'll be watching you, Nace."
"I'll do it. I swear."
Only silence followed. Seri started breathing again and tried
to think. She had to leave. Tonight. She couldn't tell anyone,
she couldn't trust anyone, she just had to go.
But Ares would follow her again, find her, especially if she
went to another tribe, which was really her best option. She had
to get him off her scent, had to make him stop looking for her .
. .
And then she got her idea.
The first thing to do was find the sleeping Princess
Jagurita. Jag was a werecat, a being full of magical energy.
Seri stole some, with a simple touch, her blood hungry for the
abilities she no longer possessed. Then, full of strength, she
wrote a quick note and left it in her own hut.
"Your majesty: thank you for taking care of me, but I
just can't take it anymore. I'm always thinking he's going to
find me . .. this is easier than what he'd do. I apologize to
you."
The simplest part was to pack her few belongings, saddle her
horse, and ride straight off the cliff that fell into the sea on
the borders of her land.
She used the stolen power to float herself and Deinus away
down the coast, far enough away that there would be no
suggestion they'd survived the jump. When it had been used up
and she was a powerless mortal again, she rode as hard as she
could for the legendary woods of Themiscyra.
*****
A sound like thunder rolled forth from somewhere outside the
village, and as every head turned towards it a giant black
war-stallion charged into their midst. On it's back was a young
woman, of slender build and mid-height, who controlled the
demonic horse with forceful ease.
She had glistening auburn hair that was braided and coiled
around her head, and looked as though it would be incredibly
long if it was let loose. Her eyes were blue, sharp and fiery.
From throat to toes, she was covered in black leather that
blended perfectly with her mount. She was unarmed, except for a
long sheathed dagger at her hip that had a small ruby set in it
just below the blade.
She swung off her mount and held her hands up in surrender as
everyone went for their weapons. "Peace!" she cried.
"I would speak to the Queen ... Hercules!"
The blonde demigod looked at her and smiled.
"Seri!" He hugged her with the ease of long
familiarity. "What are you doing out here in Themiscrya? I
thought you'd be with Jagurita and the others."
"Things came up. But what are you doing here?"
"That is a very long story."
"Excuse me," Haven cut in, "but would you step
away from the man, restrain your horse, and explain what you are
doing here?"
The girl tossed her head. "I am Seriana. I would speak
to Queen Celosia to offer my skill in the defense of this tribe.
I wish to join Themiscrya."
Jadea
You are forbidden to interfere in their affairs.
"I hate rules." Jadea muttered in response to the
reminder she heard. Having inherited the powers and title of
Sorceress Empress, she now observed the Sisters of Themiscyra.
Another voice answered her remark. It belonged to a rather
large and rather unique red-tailed hawk, named Ardra. Some
rules are better than none. Pause. What would Rumyna say?
The strangest chuckle came from Jadea then, as her mind
pondered the question Ardra presented. "She'd say that I
must learn as many rules as I possibly can, so that I can
discover exactly which ones to break." The Sorceress
Empress gave a light sigh and waved her hand to change the
vision.
The tribe has no gate guarding their lands, the hawk
noted, peering at a view of Themiscyra's forest border.
"Time will tell if that's to change." Pause.
"Are you quite certain that this is the right tribe?"
Ardra hopped from one side of the table to the other and
studied the view of Themiscyra's camp. The scene shifted to a
broader one of the village. Queen Celosia entered and crossed
the way to another hut.
Aye, the signs tell that she will go there.
She was a young woman (or seemed to be) that Jadea had yet to
formally meet. Before receiving Rumyna's mantle, Jadea learned
that her only blood sister, Callisto, had given birth to a girl.
The then immortal Callisto hid her daughter in Amazon lands,
intending for one or more to find the babe, and raise and
protect her from Ares' influence or revenge. The Warrior Queen
wanted Samsara to follow a path separate from her own, and she
counted on the Amazons taking her in.
Samsara...was Jadea's key to her sister, Callisto. The
obstacle that learning this information brought was a code. No
interference in mortal affairs. Like most laws, however,
there were loopholes to be found and explored. It was Ardra, not
Jadea, that found such a fortunate loophole. "Seeking
ambrosia when her true search is her destiny. Kaia
Kakistos." Jadea's eyes narrowed when the hot-tempered
Goddess came into view.
Her will is black. Destructive by nature. That one will
pose a great threat.
But the Sorceress Empress dismissively waved her hand and
stepped away from the vision. Her mind was already steps ahead
of her enemies. With Rumyna's disappearance, the long-lost
Cirran was on her own. And that meant that she had free range
with spells, powers, and all of her resources. "Ach, Red
Claw's rage was a grander challenge. Kaia is an amateur, albeit
one with annoying ambition." Pause. "Ares is the God
of War in this region. He also engaged with Callisto."
Whether intentional or just reflexive, Ardra's feathers
fluttered and she lifted off the stone table, dropping back down
onto a ledge. He is no god you want to engage, the hawk
warned her Mistress.
"I am no Sorceress he wants to engage...though he may
not yet know that," Jadea commented, pondering how best to
introduce herself. She'd already been toying with the idea of
paying a visit to his biggest temple. Yet, her mind had a
stronger concern with the scattered tribes of the Amazon Nation.
Particularly, the tribe of Themiscyra.
Stay the course or this mission will fail, Ardra
stated, pausing before she quipped, And your blood is on its
way to Themiscyra now. Shall we visit them?
The Sorceress Empress shook her head, again looking into a
scene that was far and away from her location. "No, we best
not. I want to see how she fares. What is it?"
The hawk now wore a strange, distracted expression. Her eyes
penetrated the air for seconds before turning their normal
state. Trouble in Caherna's Castle. Are we takin' a
side-trip?
"Rumyna would be vexed if I neglected her ventures.
Come, let us go give presence to Caherna before we join
Themiscyra." Ardra appeared on Jadea's shoulder and gave a
squawk. "If time allows, aye."
*****
Whose brilliant idea was this, again? Ardra paused,
watching the events that had her Mistress' attention. We
drift from one tribe to the next, and I-
Jadea whipped her head left and looked at Ardra, perched on a
low limb. "Unity takes time." She then turned her
attention back to observing the Amazons outside the cave.
The hawk made a noise. Their nation might not wish to be
united.
A sigh came from the woman. "I dunnae care. Peace must
be had, and we'll have no peace if we dunnae unite. Unity must
be had or we'll have no future." The Sorceress Empress
continued to watch from not-so-afar.
Medea, the tribe's Regent, waited impatiently with a group of
her Sisters. Thalia was inside, trying to assess the situation.
Her orders had been to report but not intervene. Unfortunately,
those orders were impossible to follow. Samsara had the
influence of ambrosia in her now, and she was committed to
defending the supply she had. The conflict turned Amazon against
Amazon.
Shortly before this, the Sorceress Empress had vanished out
of Themiscyra. She was a member of the tribe now, having been
given Queen Celosia's blessing and induction. However, Jadea
kept her cloak of mystery. For her first few weeks, she was
somewhat of a secret within the tribe. Jadea had reservations
about the hostility between her sister's daughter and the
Queen's own sister. To keep from escalating it, she delayed
sharing the information of her kinship to Callisto and Samsara.
So, when the hostility escalated without her help, she
disappeared to give herself time to summon enough power...in
case the worst came to pass.
Jadea observed the Amazons in the cave, and her fingers
latched onto the handle of a nearby blade. Raising it high above
her head, she threw it angrily into the portal and saw it land
an inch from Samsara.
"I hate to crash your party, Samsara. But if either of
you kills the other, you both die." Her voice boomed inside
the cave, her anger at the situation quite evident.
The Goddess laughed hysterically in disbelief. She grabbed
the sword and launched it downward with the intention of hitting
the Queen. "Why should I believe you?" She demanded in
a destructive, mocking tone.
Queen Celosia caught the sword as Samsara spoke the final
word of her inquiry. For her answer, Jadea appeared inside the
cave. She'd positioned herself in mid air between the Goddess
and the Amazon Queen. This bought Celosia a little time.
"Because Callisto is my sister. That makes you my niece. I
have given a blood oath to the Amazons. That makes them my
Sisters."
Samsara hesitated, her focus now solely on the Sorceress...a
recent addition to the Themiscyran Tribe. She held her eyes upon
Jadea, using her powers to search beyond what any mortal could
find there.
With a softer tone, Jadea called out to the Goddess.
"Samsara, please. We have already lost our family once. We
don't have to lose them again."
It took more than mere words to get through to the Great
Destroyer, but the Sorceress Empress eventually did. Her initial
reason for joining Themiscyra had been to find Callisto's
daughter, but Jadea quickly began to feel the tribe was her
home. Or if not all, then part of her home.
Soraya
As the Vikings rounded up all the Incan tribe and forced them
onto the boats, Soraya began to scan the area for a route of
escape. Her concentration was interrupted when a big smelly
Viking stood in her way. He spoke a language she did not
understand and she didn’t like his tone, so she kicked him.
For a moment she thought she had her escape plan in action.
That is until Eric stepped in the way. He was a much more
skilled warrior then Soraya. He was a very tall man she had
fought earlier and that had come to no good ending for her. He
stopped the smelly Viking from striking her - why, Soraya
didn’t know. What she did know was that he tied her hands and
feet tighter so she couldn’t do kicks any more. She knew this
was not the time to act so she followed the others without any
further attempts.
They were all put down below to be sold as slaves. Soraya
didn’t waste a moment and she began to tell her tribe how to
escape and what they could do. But no one would listen to her
because she was a woman. It didn’t matter that her ideas were
smart or that she was the best skilled warrior they had.
Eventually, Soraya gave up on them. She couldn’t change their
minds and she was wasting her breath trying.
Through the whole voyage she observed the Viking warriors and
how they fought, especially Eric. Her hatred grew with each
passing day as the memory of the screams of her mother and
father grew louder and louder in her head. She began to mimic
the Vikings every move.
This went on for a couple of months until one day they docked
in a strange land and the whole tribe was bought up on deck, no
doubt to be sold. Soraya saw her opportunity; everyone was
distracted with other things and Eric was negotiating for
supplies. So Soraya got loose from her ropes and did a double
back flip and kicked two of Eric’s men down and fought off two
more. She knew she couldn’t fight all of them so she did a
back flip off the ship and on the strange land and began to run
for her life.
She ran fast, but because of the lack of food and water the
Vikings began catching up to her. She realized that she would
have to fight or die. Just as she was about to give up she heard
a strange whistle in the air, as she looked up she saw this
flying disc coming towards her. She was stunned as it flew above
her head and headed straight for the Vikings.
The whistle was interrupted by a fierce warrior yell. Soraya
looked up to see a woman coming down from the sky and land
beside her, then another warrior appeared beside the woman,
armed and ready with a staff. They began to fight the Vikings.
In a short time, they had them running back to the ship.
The two warrior women introduced themselves as Xena and
Gabrielle. It took some time for Soraya to learn their language,
but she was a quick study. She traveled with them for a while,
learning everything she could from them. Gabrielle told her
stories of the Amazon nation and Soraya was taken by stories of
a tribe of only women warriors. The Bard spoke of a particular
one called Themiscyra several times. Soraya decided to set out
in search of this tribe; she thanked Xena and Gabrielle for all
their help and for teaching her so much, and set out to join the
united Amazon Nation of Themiscyra.
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